Apparatus and method for verifying transactions using voice print

• US 7,716,055 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: McIntosh, Jonathan P., Currey, Terrance
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US11/539,012
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 704/273, 379/88.02
• US Class Current: 704/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/06 Decision making techniques; Pattern matching strategies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/385 using speech signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A verification system for verifying that a consumer seeking to conduct a transaction with a merchant using an account is authorized to use the account. A voice response unit records a voice print of the customer, e.g. when the account is established, and associates the voice print with the customer account. In a subsequent transaction, such as where a customer changes telecommunications provider, the customer voice print is used to verify that a voice approval given by the customer is in fact from the customer.

Claims

1. Apparatus for verifying that at least one consumer seeking to conduct at least one transaction with at least one merchant using at least one account is authorized to use the at least one account, the at least one account being identified by an account number, the apparatus comprising at least the following:

at least one voice response unit configured to receive the at least one account number and at least one test voice print associated with the at least one consumer;

storage medium configured to receive the at least one account number and return at least one control voice print associated with the at least one account number;

voice print comparator configured to compare the at least one test voice print to the at least one control voice print and to return at least one match level signal indicating a degree of match therebetween;

wherein the at least one voice response unit is further configured to notify the merchant whether the at least one consumer is authorized to use the at least one account, the verification signal being responsive to the at least one match level signal; and

wherein the at least one voice response unit is configured to obtain the at least one test voice print during a telephone-based transaction between the at least one consumer and the merchant.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one voice response unit is configured to capture the at least a first voice print from the holder of a credit card account.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one voice response unit is configured to capture at least an account number from the holder of the account.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the account number is a credit card account number.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one voice response unit is configured to forward at least the account number and at least the voice sample to the at least one storage medium.

6. A method of verifying that at least one consumer seeking to conduct at least one transaction with at least one merchant using at least one account is authorized to use the at least one account, the method comprising at least the following:

obtaining at least one test voice print from the at least one consumer;

obtaining at least one account number for the account;

obtaining at least one control voice print associated with the at least one account number;

comparing the at least one control voice print to the at least one test voice print;

identifying at least one level of match between the at least one control voice print and the at least one test;

dispositioning at least one transaction in response to the at least one level of match; and

wherein obtaining at least one test voice print is performed by the at least one voice response unit during a telephone-based transaction between the at least one consumer and the merchant.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining at least one control voice print includes retrieving the at least one control voice print from a storage medium based on the at least one account number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining at least one account number includes obtaining at least one credit card account number.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein comparing the at least one control voice print to the at least one test voice print includes comparing the at least one control voice print to the at least one test voice print using at least one voice print comparator.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein dispositioning the at least one transaction includes declining the transaction if the level of match falls beneath a predefined threshold.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein dispositioning the at least one transaction includes approving the transaction if the level of match exceeds a predefined threshold.